Half to thos



UNITED STATES f IPATEr'Vr OEEICE.

GEORGE W. BAUER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THOS. H. REDMOND, OF SAME PLAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,986, dated October 4, 1.881, Application filed June 3, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom-it may concern Be it known `that I, GEORGE W. BAUER, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swings; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had It to the accompanying` drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement iu swings; and it consists in the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully r 5 described hereinafter, whereby a two-seated swing is produced that can be operated bythe occupants by simply pressing their feet upon the platform in the manner required to impart motion to a rocking-chair.

The object of my invention is to produce a double-seated swing, which is so constructed that a person sitting on one of the seats and pressing downward with his feet will cause the pressure to be exerted upon the swinging arms upon which the opposite seat is secured,`

and thus the swing be put in motion and kept moving witha very slight expenditure of power.

The accompanyingdrawing represents aside elevation of my invention.

3o Arepresents a suitable frame,ofanydesired construction, and to the upperpart of which is secured the rectangular frame B, to which the swinging arms O are secured in any suita' ble manner.

which cross each other in the usual manner,

and each pair has secured near its lower end a seat, D. These two pairs of arms are connected togetherjust below the seat bythe crossbarsE, which are pivoted to the arms at each 4o end, so as to hold the arms always the same distance apart, and yet will allow them to swing freely, back and forth.

Secured between the lower ends of each pair of arms is a platform, G, each one of which inclines slightly downward, and has its inner end supported in position by means of the connecting-rods I, which rods are pivoted at both of their ends, so as to allow the parts to swing There are two pairs of these arms,

freely back and forth. A person sitting-upon one of the seats has simply to bear downward 5o upon the platform just below him, and this downward pressure will be conveyed to the opposite pair of swinging arms lby means of the connecting-rods, and will serve to pull the opposite seat toward him. When the person upon the opposite seat presses downward upon his platform, after the opposite person has eX- erted his power, the swing is forced backward in the opposite direction, and in this manner ,the two persons, by alternately pressing down 6o upon their platforms, will cause the swing to more freely back and forth, in the usual manner. By thus changing' the center of gravity of the load inthe swing the swing is set A,in

motion and can be kept moving with but a very slight expenditure of power upon the part of the occupants.

Should it be desired to form a single-seated swing, the two conuectingrods I, which are connected to the arms O at one end and plat- 7o form G at the other end, will be disconnected, and those pieces. to which the connecting-rods are attached at their lower ends, and the footrest or platform G and seat D, which work in connection with them, will be removed. The arms C will then be drawn nearer together at their lower ends, and thus a single -seated swing be produced.

Having thus described my invention',` I claim- The combination ofthe two pairs of swinging arms, each one of which has a seat rigidly secured therein, connecting-rods for uniting the lower ends of the swinging arms together, the two platforms, and the conneetingrods which unite vthese platforms to the opposite pair of swinging arms, the parts being arranged and combined to operate substantially as shown and described. A

In testimony whereof I affix my'signature 9o in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. BAUER. 

